Pulse

by Wade, Matthew

  The stereo has last been played loud, so when it first came on, the volume made her jump, and made Bobby wake up with a start. Maggie dropped the volume and turned to smile at her brother, but all that came out was a tired and strained grimace.

  “Hey sleepy head.”

  “Hmmm. Hi.”

  The white lines of the road passed by the outside of the car with a rhythmic flashing, which had a strange calming effect.

  “Where are we?” Bobby asked.

  “I’m not too sure. I think we just passed Bakersfield. Might have to stop before we try and go around LA. I’m getting tired.”

  Although it was normally a busy road, the traffic was surprisingly light for the time of day.

  Bobby sat up in his chair, and drew a slow breath in. “Maggie?”

  “Mmm hmm?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Maggie blinked her eyes to focus, and waited. Bobby took his silence as a queue to carry on.

  “Please believe me when I tell you that I honestly didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I found out that I could do this thing with my mind, and it was really cool. I showed Stuart because he is my friend, and we thought we could get away with a few small things, you know, just have some fun.” He paused for a moment. “But we got carried away. The power went to my head. Maggie – I felt amazing. I felt like a superhero or something, you know. I haven’t felt this good in ages, you know? Not since, well...” he trailed off.

  “Since Mum died.”

  Maggie was surprised to hear herself finish off his sentence for him, just like they used to when they were kids, that twins connection. Bobby had started to cry. A small trickle of tears at first, but now he was openly sobbing.

  “Oh, Bob, come on. Look – there a truck stop coming up, lets pull over.”

  Maggie nosed the car onto the exit ramp, and pulled up in the car park outside a diner. As soon as they stopped Maggie leaned over a hugged Bobby.

  “Everything’s gone wrong” said Bobby through sobs.

  “Hey, hey shush now. Everything will be OK, we’re gonna get through this kid.” She said, putting on a cowboy accent to try and make him laugh.

  Bobby looked up at her “Stupid sis.” he grinned.

  “Dufus.”

  “Looser.”

  “Pinhead.”

  They both laughed. The first time they had laughed together in a while, and it felt like such a relief.

  “You know you can talk to me, if you want?” Maggie said. “I’m here for you if you need me. If you want to talk, you know, it might help.”

  “I know, I’m sorry I don’t talk but I find it hard sometimes.”

  “I know, I know.”

  “Thanks, though.”

  “Hey, no problem. You are my stupid brother after all. Anyway come on, I need to pee.”

  “Nice.”

  They both laughed again and got out of the car, and walked towards the diner. As they walked with their arms around each other, they felt closer than they had been in a long time.

  A silver BMW pulled up into the car park behind them.

  Forty five

  The phone rang on Emma’s desk. She picked it up and listened to the voice on the end of the receiver. “OK, putting you through now.” She said and pushed some buttons on the unit. She got up from her chair and knocked on the door of Simpsons’ office.

  “Mr Winter on line two sir.” The captain nodded at his secretary and picked up his phone, simultaneously pushing the second flashing light as he did.

  “Winter – Simpson. I have Church and Fisher with me. What’s been happening with the Finlay case?”

  As Captain Simpson talked on the phone, the other two tried to listen in to what was being said, but could only grasp snippets of the conversation.

  Church sat there and waited for the end result to be imparted to him by his captain, whilst Fisher twitched. He was trying to take his mind off the current situation by doodling on his notepad. He wasn’t a very good artist, so he was drawing neat squares, starting from the centre with each square getting progressively larger, drawn around the outside of the previous square. He then started shading in alternative gaps, forming a sort of optical illusion pattern. The kind that you see in puzzle books, or on those weird things to fill your day links that people tend to send around on email.

  The phone clicked as it was put down, signalling the end of the doodle fest. “That was Winter. He is tracking the girl and her brother. They have also been in contact with their Uncle. Seems he is ex-LAPD and has good connections. He resides in Mexico just south of the San Diego border crossing. That’s where they are headed for. Winter intends to stop them before they hit the border and make it to Mexico with the Uncle.”

  “What happens if they do?” Asked church.

  “Then he has the potential to go public.”

  “Shit. What do we do?”

  “We fly ahead to the border and cut them off there. Winter is tracking them from his car and can relay their location to us.”

  “And where are they now?”

  “Just north of LA. Just pulled into a diner off of the I-5. He is planning to apprehend them as soon as they exit. Remember, we mustn’t let the public or the local authorities see. The key to being able to capture and use this weapon is no one must know.”

  “What do we do with the Uncle? How much does he know?”

  “He knows they are on the run, and that we are involved. He could be a potential problem. We are pulling police records as we speak to ID him, we will have a photo sent over soon. We know he will be at the border tonight so we can remove him then.”

  “And the boy?”

  “We carry on as planned. Winter will capture him and deliver him to us. We will spend time with him first. Train him. Turn him on to our way of thinking. Make him a soldier.”

  Fisher, who had been silent for most of the time, looked stressed. He was not used to this kind of situation. He was a man of science, not action. The thought of going on a road trip where there was talk of people being ‘eliminated’ scared the living crap out of him. “At what point do we turn him over to the authorities, sir?”

  Winter gazed out of the window for a moment. He surveyed the car park outside and the fields beyond. He thought about how he had giving his life to his country, but at the expense of his marriage. He thought about his son, and how he didn’t want him to make the same mistakes he did. He also thought more and more about retiring. This was a young man’s game, after all.

  “Not until we have named our price, Mr Fisher. Not until then.”

  Forty six

  The waitress at ‘Buffalos Bar and Grill’ looked Maggie and Bobby up and down twice before she spoke to them. “You lost, honey?” She said.

  “No, ma’am we just need to use your bathroom, and maybe get a soda and a burger.” Now she had stopped driving, Maggie realised how hungry she was. The mention of food also seemed to lift Bobby’s spirits.

  “Out in the back” said the waitress, as she thumbed towards the bar and went back to chewing her gum and reading her copy of Entertainment Weekly.

  As Maggie started towards the back of the bar, she realised that they had walked into the wrong place. The bar was dimly lit with a single large lamp hanging from the centre of the ceiling and the whole room was full of a smoky haze. There was a pool table in the centre of the room with a man and a woman at it. The woman was wearing a black sleeveless crop top with a skull and crossbones motif on the front, with tight jeans, short bleached blonde spiky hair and at least five small rings in each ear, working their way from the bottom of each lobe to the top of the ear, the bottom and top rings connected by a small silver chain.

  The man she was with was in all black leather, long scraggily black hair and a big black beard. And exposed skin was tattooed, including his neck and his hands and fingers. The woman was bent over the pool table lining up her next shot with the man standing right behind her, holding onto her hips and grinning like he was enjoying dry humpin
g her.

  Around the room, roughly another ten or fifteen similar looking guys lined the bar and sat at the tables. All eyes now following the two very out of place teenagers across the bar.

  “Hey bay doll.” Shouted one bald man in a leather jacket. “Why don’t you come over here and sit with me a while. I won’t bite.” The men sitting at the table with him laughed out loud at their friends’ deep wit.

  “You lost your mommy and daddy?” Shouted another from the other side of the room.

  “Come on Bobby, just go to the bathroom” said Maggie, ushering her brother forward.

  As she headed for the corridor to the left of the bar, an arm grabbed her wrist. “Hey where you goin?” The man was about six – two, with greased back hair and the smell of tobacco and cheap beer on his breath.

  “Please, let me go.”

  “What’s the hurry, darlin’? We only jus’ gettin’ to know each other. Now how ‘bout you and me go out to my truck and we can talk a little more – if you know what I mean. I’ll even let your little boyfriend here watch.” He said, looking Bobby up and down.

  “Let her go” blurted out Bobby.

  “Oh, I see this one’s got fighting spirit. Why don’t you run along son, she mine now” and shoved Bobby to the ground with such a force he banged his head against the side of the bar. “Now, what might be your name little darlin’?”

  Maggie looked around the rest of the bar for help, but all eyes were now down, studying whatever drink they were nursing. All except the pool playing couple, who had moved from the table and were slowly moving towards the scene at the bar. “Leave her be, Derek” said the bearded man. “She let her be on her way now.” He was standing firm, about ten paces from Maggie, still holding his pool cue.

  Derek looked into the bearded man’s eyes for a moment, and let go of Maggie’s arm.

  The moment was interrupted by the door opening once again. A shadow of a man appeared in the doorway that was a familiar shape to Maggie. Derek saw the fear in her eyes and turned to look at the doorway. Into the gloom stepped a tall man with broad shoulders, blonde hair and blue eyes.

  Most of the men in the room recognised the threat of the man, the imposing stare and the intent. The waitress stood up quickly. “Can I help you?”

  “I just want the boy and the girl.” He said, looking over towards the bar. He pushed past the waitress and walked across the floor. “You two are coming with me.” He said.

  The bearded man, recognising the reaction in Maggie, stepped forward to block his path. “Out of my way, redneck” said Winter.

  “Please, Bobby, get out.” Maggie was almost paralysed with fear.

  “You OK, honey, do you know this man?” said the bearded man.

  “He’s trying to kill us, he killed my boyfriend.”

  John Winter suddenly moved. He grabbed the bearded man by the lapels and threw him across the floor as if he were a rag doll. He was standing above Bobby before he realised what had happened. He grabbed the petrified Bobby by the wrist and dragged him towards the door. He was moving at a good pace, dragging the powerless Robert Finlay along with him.

  The stunned bearded man got to his feet and grabbed his pool cue. He ran at Winter with his stick held aloft. Winter pulled his gun out from under his jacket and pointed it at the bearded man’s chest. “Don’t bother.” Winter said. “It’s not your fight.”

  Suddenly there was a loud crack as another pool cue came smashing down onto Winters’ wrist. The cue broke in half, and forced his hand to release the gun, which clattered to the floor.

  John turned to see who had committed this outrage. The woman with the bleached blonde spiky hair and chains through the rings in her ears was running at him again, brandishing her smashed half of a pool cue.

  At the same time several sets of chairs scrapped back, and six or seven other leather jacketed, tattooed men were running at John Winter. He was still holding onto Bobby, he dived for his gun, only to see it kicked away by a biker boot.

  Another pool cue came smashing down across his shoulder, fracturing his collar bone with a sickening crack.

  John Winter let go of Bobby’s arm, and swung around at one of the men grabbing him from behind. He landed a fist directly on the man’s nose, and broke it with a crunch. Blood poured out onto the floor, the man reeling back screaming in pain.

  He spun around to deliver a flying kick to another man’s jaw, breaking it instantly and sending three of his teeth flying across the room.

  Then he turned again. He grabbed the blonde haired woman and span her around so she was facing away from him. He put his left arm around her waist, and griped her so tight it knocked the wind out of her. He reached around to his back with his right hand and produced a large hunting knife, which he held to her throat.

  The chaos suddenly stopped. Winter backed away from the centre of the room, still clutching the woman, so that the men were all in front of him in a rough semi-circle. They had all dropped any weapons they had found lying around, and were standing with their hands at chest high, palms facing out.

  “Now. Let’s have some decorum, shall we. If that’s not too big a word for you rednecks.”

  Silence had fallen over the room. “What I would like to happen is for those two over there to accompany me to my car. If you and they all cooperate, then I promise that no harm will come to them, or indeed any of you.”

  Maggie and bobby were both huddled at the bar. Maggie grabbed hold of Bobby’s hand.

  “Please, just let her go and we’ll talk.” said the bearded man.

  The knife was being pressed hard against the woman’s’ throat, and a small line of blood was beginning to glisten against the soft skin of her neck.

  Maggie spoke. “OK, we’ll go with him. Just let her go.” Bobby looked at Maggie in fear.

  “What are you doing? No Maggie.” He whispered.

  She led him towards Winter.

  “Good girl. See? Wasn’t so hard, was it?”

  “Just move slowly, Bobs” said Maggie “It’s quite dark in here.” She squeezed his hand. “Just let the knife go and we’ll come quietly.” She edged closer still. Winter started to release his grip on the woman. “Careful, Bobby. Don’t slip. There are drinks and blood on the floor. And it is hard to see in the dark.” She squeezed his hand again. Still they edged closer.

  As they were a few feet from Winter, she looked around at the men in the bar. “It’s OK, guys. Thank you for standing up for us. We will be OK, once we are out of the dark.” She squeezed bobby’s hand tight this time, making him jump and look at her. She looked at him with pleading eyes, and flicked her gaze upwards. Bobby suddenly fell in. He stopped moving and centred his balance. Winter was releasing his grip on the woman, and reaching out to grab Bobby’s arm. Bobby snapped his head up to the single light hanging from the ceiling, and... Whuuuummm.

  The light above exploded, sending a shower of glass on the people below. Everybody crouched and covered their heads, and then looked up to see what had just happened. The bar plunged into virtual darkness.

  Maggie, who had made sure she was looking at the exit before the lights went out, ran for the door with Bobby in tow.

  The two of them burst out into the sunlight and into the car park before Winter could get his bearings and give chase. Maggie was already pressing the remote in her pocket to unlock the car as they were still twenty feet away. As they approached Blake’s old car, they stopped dead. All four tyres had been slashed, and were completely flat. “Bastard!” Shouted Maggie.

  The doors of the diner burst open, and Maggie and Bobby turned around to see John Winter running at them, gun in hand.

  Maggie grabbed Bobby and the two of them ran around to the back of the buildings. Behind was a dirt track, and long grass. There were trees about three hundred yards in the distance, but Maggie knew they could not run out in the open, for fear of being targeted by the gunman.

  They were about thirty yards into the grass when Maggie whispered “Get d
own.” The both lay flat and still in the tall grass, facing the buildings, and waited.

  They could not see clearly through the grass, and did not want to risk peering above in case they were seen. All they could make out was shadows in the distance. “Just stay still, Bobby.” Whispered Maggie. “Stay really still.”

  They lay there for a while, listening. Nothing moved, nothing rustled. Maybe he hadn’t seen which way they went? Maybe he was too injured? Maybe the guys at the bar had stopped him?

  In the distance, a shadow appeared from around the building. It moved slowly across their field of view, and stopped just left of them. The shadow stopped still for what seemed like hours.

  A light breeze picked up, which made the grass rustle and sway gently.

  The shadow started to move again, turning. Turning back towards where they were laying. “I know you are out there” said Winter. “I can see your footprints in the dirt.”

  He started to walk directly towards them.

  “When I was in the special forces,” he continued, “we used to track guerrilla fighters in the jungle.” He edged slowly forwards.

  “I was part of a team that specialised in tracking. We used to follow the trail left by people for days and days until we caught up with them.”

  He was walking nearer to them, but slightly off their path, he looked as if he was going to pass them about six feet to the left. The grass was dense enough that you would have to virtually trip over them to see them.

  “You see I always get my man.” He continued. “Even if I would hunt for weeks.”

  They could hear him breathing now he was so close. They could smell his aftershave. He was moving very slowly, scanning the ground left and right with the nozzle of his gun, waiting to fire if he saw any movement.